Clock bank



CLOCK BANK Filed Dec.` 16. 1922 w. D. PENNINGTON ETA AL.

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CLOCK BANK Filed Dec. 1G. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented ug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .'D. PENNING'ION ANI) JOI-IN R. PENNINGTON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLOCK BANK.

Application filed December 16, 19%2. Serial No. 607,283.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, TWILLIAM D. PEN- NING'roN and JOI-IN R. PENNINGTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Clock Banks, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The invention relates to banks, and primarily to a bank which includes a clock or other time piece.

It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement whereby the deposit of a coin is required in order to permit the setting or winding of the time piece, thus compelling the saving by the deposit of coins in the bank in order to gain the benefit of the clock.

It is an additional object to provide a construction which will cause the clock to stop during the period of setting or winding, the clock being released to again permit of its operation after the setting or winding has been accomplished.

It is an object of the invention to provide the means employed for controlling the winding and setting of the time piece with means for preventing the operation of the time piece during the winding or setting of the clock.

It is another object to provide a simple, practical and efficient construction of coin bank and particularly of the class specified.

The invention will be explained in detail and more readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments of the invention. It is therefore obvious that the invention is susceptible of various arrangements which may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a bank constructed according to one embodiment of the invention, certain` portions of the casing being removed;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. '1 showing modiiied arrangements;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of the structure shown in Fig, 4, showing it in a relatively different position;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 6, the casing of the bank being shown in section; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively front and side elevations of a coin conveying mechanism employed in the structure.

In one embodiment of the invention a coin controlled mechanism is employed which is constructed so that access to both the winding and setting stem of the clock is prevented until a coin is inserted into a coin slot and moved by a coin conveyer to expose said stems, the coin controlled mechanism acting to further stop the operating mechanism of the clock when the coin is moved to a predetermined position, the object of this last named feature being to prevent a person inserting a coin and larranging the coin controlled mechanism so as to eX- pose the winding stems, retaining the locking mechanism in this position and permitting actuation of the clock.

To wind the clock a coin is inserted through a slot 10 provided in the back plate 11 of the casing 12. Another plate 13 is arranged in spaced relation to the back plate 11 and is provided with a rib 14c which with the flange 15 provides a guide for the coin conveyer 16, which is slidably arranged between the plates 11 and 13. The coin conveyer includes a nger piece 17 which operates through an elongated slot 18 in the back plate 11. This conveyer is clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and includes a pocket 19 into which the coin is arranged when passed through the slot 10. The coin is maintained in the pocket 19 and the conveyer is manually moved upwardly, bringing the coin into contact with the projection 20 secured to the arm 2l which is pivoted at 22 to the plate 13, the arm being retained in itsk lowermost position by means of the coiled spring 23 which is secured to the pin 24: andi` said arm. This arm includes the several elements 25, 26, 27 and 28. The element normally projects beyond the end of the winding stem 29 and thereby prevents the winding key from being arranged in operative relation thereto. The element 26 extends across the end of the setting stem 30 and prevents a key from being connected thereto. This element 26 also extends adjacent the balance wheel 31 and is provided Cil with a laterally extending pin 2S which is arranged transversely of the arm 26 and is designed to engage the balance wheel 31 of the clock mechanism, and is arranged so that it will engage this balance wheel and stop the actuation of the clock when the arm 21 is moved by the coin to expose the Winding and setting stems, respectively designated 29 and 30.

lt is manifest that when the am 21 is moved by engagement of the coin therewith. the windino and setting stems will be exposed and the balance wheel engaged, which will prevent the arm from being arranged in a position to expose the winding and setting stems and permit the operation of the clock. The back plate 13 is provided with an aperture 32 through which the coin is passed after it has performed its function of actuating the arm 21. A resilient element 33 is employed to engage the coin and cause it to be moved from the conveyer and through the aperture 32, so that it may be deposited in the coin receiving portion of the casing 12. The lowermost end of the casing is provided with a removable cover 34 which through the medium of the lock 35 is releasably secured to the casing, permitting the bank to be opened and the coins removed therefrom.

In the structure illustrated in Fig. 3 the arm 21a is provided with an extension 25a and an extension 26". The extensions 251 and 26a perform the same function as the extensions 25 and 27 of the structure shown in Fig. 1. The extension 26a is provided with a portion 2Sa arranged transversely to the part 26a of the arm 21e1 to engage the balance wheel 31 of this structure and is employed to perform the same function as that performed by the lateral extension 28 in Fig. 1.

In the structure illustrated in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7, an arm 211 is employed and this arm is provided with the extensions 25b and 27h, the arm being actuated in a manner similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1. This structure differs, however, from the structures illust-rated in Figs. 1 and 3 in that the arm 27b is brought into engagement with a resilient element 3G having the laterally extending portion 37 which engages the balance wheel 38 of this structure to prevent the operation of the clock when the arm 21b is arranged to expose the winding stem of the clock. This resilient element 36 is clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7, it being secured to the plate 13a at one end, the opposite end being free. It is manifest that as the element 27" of the arm 21b is moved upwardly by the coin, the element 271 will engage the resilient member 36 and compress it, causing one extremity of the portion 37 to engage the balance wheel 38 which will hold the clock mechanism against actuation when in this position.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a clock bank having a winding stem, means for rendering said stem inaccessible, and exposing said stem, coin controlled means for actuating said first mentioned means, said first mentioned means being provided with means for stopping the clock and being operable to release the clock to permit of its operation and to simultaneously render said stem inaccessible.

2. ln a clock bank having a winding stem, means for rendering said stem inaccessible and exposing said stem, coin controlled means for actuating said lirst mentioned means, said lirst mentioned means being provided with means for stopping the clock when arranged to expose said stem.

3. ln a clock bank having a winding stem, an arm operable to render said stem inaccessible and to expose said stem, coin controlled means for actuating said arm, said arm providing a means for stopping the clock when arranged to expose said stem.

1l. In a clock bank having a winding and setting stem, means for rendering said stems inaccessible and to expose said stems, coin controlled means for actuating said means, and means for stopping the clock when said first mentioned means is arranged to expose said stems, said means for stopping the clock being carried by said iirst mentioned means.

5. In a clock bank having a coin receiving receptacle and a winding stem, means for rendering said stem inaccessible and eX- posing said stem, coin controlled means for actuating said first mentioned means, said lirst mentioned means being provided with means for stopping the clock and being operable to release the clock to permit of its operation and to simultaneously render said stem inaccessible, and means for causing the coin to be deposited into said coin receiving receptacle after said first mentioned means is operated to render said stem inaccessible.

6. ln a clock bank having a winding and setting stem, arms operable to render said stems inaccessible and to expose said stems, coin controlled means for actuating said arms and means provided upon one of said arms for stopping the clock when said arms are arranged to expose said stems.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this L1th day of December, A. D.,

VILLIAM D. PELNNINGTON. JOHN R. PENNINGTON. 

